Transformer for air and the like



L. CRAIG TRANSFORMER FOR AIR AND THE LIKE Aug. 11, 1953 Filed May 22, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l 7 .z I Q7 s s s s s. 3H5; I"

I .Q: 1: i II II I L 1 30 l llirl 1 INVENTOR LESLIE CRAIG ML; WM;

ATTORNEYS Aug. 11, 1953 L. CRAIG TRANSFORMER FOR AIR AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 22, 1950 im m INVENTOR LESLIE game ATTORNEYS Patented Aug; 11, 1953 OFFICE.

TRANSFORMER FOR AIR AND THE-LIKE I Leslie Craig, Nelson, New Zealand Application May'22, 1950, Serial No. 163,425

* .In New Zealand June 3, 1949 a 2 Claims. (01-50-31) This invention relatesto transformers for use in reducing the pressure of air and the like, and more particularly has reference to transformers wherein air or the like, of a high pressure, is converted to a low pressure.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved transformer for use in reducing the pressure of air and the like, which is easily made and simple to operate and which can be used as may be desired Where air or the like, of low pressure, is required for any specific and desirable purpose.

According to this invention, the improved transformer for air and the like comprises a container which is open to atmosphere to permit the escape of air under excess pressure after passing by a column of mercury, a pressure chamber having an inlet valve to admit air and the like under high pressure and having an outlet to pass air and the like under low pressure to a closed receptacle, a means providing a column of mercury between the container and the pressure chamber, and means for operating the inlet valve of the pressure chamber as the column of mercury is displaced by the air under pressure in the pressure chamber.

Further according to this invention, the improved transformer for air or the like comprises a container having its upper part open'to atmos-' phere to permit the escape of air under excess pressure after passing by a column of mercury and having a closed hollow lower part or stem, a pressure chamber situated in the container and having a lower part in and open to the lower part or stem of the container to form an annular space for a column of mercury, an inlet valve to the pressure chamber for air or the like under high pressure and an outlet from the pressure chamber to a closed receptacle for air or the like under low pressure, and means operable in the pressure chamber to open and to close the inlet valve as the column of mercury is displaced by the air under pressure in the pressure chamber.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of this invention as follows:

Figure 1 is an elevational viewof the device shown about one third of its full size for transforming air pressure from 200 lbs. to the square inch to about 4 lbs. to the square inch,

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the device on line A-A of Figure 3 and shows the high pressure valve in its open position,

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of the device on line B-B of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the high pressure inlet valve in its closed position, Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the low pressure outlet and non-return valve therein,

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional elevation on line CC of Figure 4,.and

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectionalelevation of the lower parts of the container" and of the pressure chamber with the float in the descended position.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 exemplifies an embodiment of the invention in a device in its operable position wherein the general outline is a T formation'but it is to be understoodythat' this invention can beembodied in other formations wherein the pressure chamber is blocked off from atmosphere by a column of mercury or the like.

According to Figures 1, 2 and 30f the drawings which form part of thisspecification, a container I is made in a hollow T formation with a pressure chamber 2 situated in the cross and stem of the T formation of the container l. The pres-' sure chamber 2 has closed ends 3, 4 to the cross of its T formation and an inlet port 5 for fluid under high pressure is situated in the closed end 3 of the pressure chamber 2; and an outlet port '6 for fluid under low pressure to pass to a closed receptacle 30 (see Figure l), is situated in the other end 4 of the pressure chamber'2; and the cross of the T formation of the pressure eham-' her 2 is in the upper part or cross of the T'formation of the container I. The floor of the upper part of the container I is sloped and drained down to a hollow stem Ill of the container I.

The lower part orstem l of the T formation of the pressure chamber 2 has anopen bottom at 8 Figure 7, leading into an annular space 9 Figures 2, 3 and 7, made betweenthe lower part 1 of the pressure chamber 2 and the lower part or stem H) of the container l, an'd a; column of mercury'(indicated by the interrupted lines) is situated in such annular space 9- and/or in theof fluid such as air to the square inch to be delivered through the outlet 6 but where the valve I5 is a needle valve as illustrated in Figures 2 and 4 and the outlet port 6 is correspondingly small in size, then a column of mercury of 8 inches situated in the annular space 9 allows about 4 lbs. pressure of air to issue through the outlet port 6 to a closed receptacle indicated at 30 and any sudden ingress of air under pressure through the inlet port 5 or failure of the needle valve IE to operate, results in the air under excess of pressure forcing some of the column or mercury up the annular space I to the cross formation of the container I and then the air under excess pressure escapes past the mercury to atmosphere. In that 1 lb. of air pressure lifts a column of mercury two inches, the pressure required is ad-*- justed according to the length of the stem I of the container I, and the length of lower part I of the pressure chamber.

Thus, the container I is open to atmosphere, and a passage II Figure 3, to assist in the escape of air under pressure from the'pressure chamber, isformed by baifie plates I3, I4 situated between the upper parts of both the pressure chamber 2' and thecontainer I, so that a column of mercury, subjected to abnormal pressure and .part ofthe' column of mercury being forced up the annular space I, is prevented by'the bafile-plates M, M frombeing lost while the air under pressure is escaping through annular space 9 and out through passage I I The inlet port of the pressure chamber 2 has a valve I5 situated therein which has an operating means whereby the valve I5 can be closed against the ingress of air and the like of high pressure which is in excess of an air pressure topass through anoutlet 6.

In-a' desired form, the valve I5 has a needle I2 which is capable of being seated-and unseated to close or to open the inlet port 5 by the means operable according to the pressure of air in the pressure chamber 2. As illustrated in Figures 2, 3, 4- and 6 such operating means comprises a lever I6 fulcrumed by pin I9'inlugs I! which .extend inwards from the end 3 of the pressure chamber 2; and a short end I8- of the lever I6 is arranged to move the valve needle I2 into, or

to allow the valve needle I2 under pressure of air to-come away from, the seating of the inlet port 5-. The long end- 2| of the lever I6 is pivotallyconnected at 2'4 to a rod 22 which extends down the lower part 1 of the pressure chamber 2 and the rod- 22 has a float 23 attached near its lower'end; The float 23 is made preferably of wood and is arranged normally to float in the mercury in the lower part I of the pressure chamber 2. The arrangement and relationship ofthe valve lever I6, the rod 22- and the float 23, is such that the valve I5 is open while the float 23 is in an ascended position up in the lower part I of the pressure chamber 2. The valve I5 is closed while the float 23 is ina descended position in the lower part I of the pressure chamber 2- as the column of mercury, open to atmosphere inthe annular space 9 isdown inthe lower part I- of the pressure chamber 2 and is up in the annular space 9 under the influence of the high pressure of air and the like admitted past the valve I5 and into the pressure chamber 2 as long as the said air under high pressure is in contact with the mercury in the lower part I of the pressure chamber 2.

A non-return valve 26' such as ball 21 on seat- 28 (see Figure 5) may be provided so that, while air under pressure in the pressure chamber 2 is below the pressure in a closed receptacle in com- 4 munication with the outlet 6, the non-return valve 26 closes to prevent the air coming back to pressure chamber 2.

Thus, according to this invention, high pressure air or the like, admitted by the valve I5 to the pressure chamber 2, operates the pressureoperated means which closes the valve I5 as the air pressure forces the mercury from the lower part I of the pressure chamber 2, and in so doing, the air pressure is lowered and the air passes out of the pressure chamber 2, through the outlet port 6, for any useful purpose, such as applying a low air pressure to a closed receptacle requirin an air pressure of 4 lbs. to the square inch above atmospheric pressure, to displace fluid therefrom; and in so doing the mercury in the annular space 9 forms a safety valve to allow an excess of air pressure, admitted to the pressure chamber, to escape to atmosphere when necessary to relieve abnormal pressure of air inadvertently admitted to the pressure chamber.

Wherever in this specification, air pressures are referred to or given, it is to be understood that such air pressures are pounds to the square inch'above' atmospheric pressure at sealevel.

What-I do claim anddesire to obtain by Letters Patent of the United states is:

1. A gas pressure reducing transformer comprising an outer casing and an inner casing within said outer casing forming separate chambers and each being of T-shapedform providedwith depending tubular stem portions the head portion of the outer T being sloped to drain into the stem portion-thereof, the outer stein having a bottom closure and the inner stem being within and spaced from said outer stem and being at its lower end in communication with the annular space between said stems, a mercury seal at the lower end of said stems normally closing off communication therebetween, high pressure inlet and low pressure outlet connections to the inner chamber, a valve controlling said inlet, operatingmeans for said valve including a member depending within said inner stem having a float at the lower end thereof which at normal level of the mercury seal holds said valve open but upon displacement of mercury by increasedpressure within said inner chamber and the dropping of said float will close said valve, the upper end of said outer chamber being in free communication with the external atmosphere.

2. The construction as in claim 1 in which the head portion of the outer T has overlapping battles spaced for open communication with the external atmosphere throughout the length of the head.

LESLIE CRAIG.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D66. 376,313 Kidder Jan. 10', 1888 1,218,543 Gatter'meir Mar. 6, 1917 1,749,492 Lanibing Mar. 4, 1930 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,033 Great Britain a of 1856 3,880 Great Britain l of 1905 22,604 Great Britain of 1895 24,839 Germany of 1883 186,236 Germany I of 1907 

